Sheep Island at Berlin Zoo, 31/08/11

Funny way to keep sheep. Poor sheep.. But I suppose you could apply that sentiment to all ungulates in overgrazed paddocks in urban zoos.

This island has always struck me as odd in Berlin Zoo as it takes up a lot of space in a collection that hasn't exactly got space to spare. It is hard to view the sheep from a visitor's point of view and it seems like Berlin could focus on a more important species here.

Is this the island near the wetlands at the hippo exhibit? It was empty on my visit but I thought that maybe it was home to some sort of primate.

PAT said:

Is this the island near the wetlands at the hippo exhibit? It was empty on my visit but I thought that maybe it was home to some sort of primate.

Click to expand...

Yes, that sounds like this one. Sheep summer-only visitors then, maybe?

Or they got taken inside because of the weather. I think I visited on the coldest day that I've ever had to endure.

I just can't picture this island, not that I can claim to know West Berlin well, sadly.

I wonder if the sheep had been installed to graze whatever unwanted foliage was there? But I just cannot envisage what that shelter was installed for. Could any kindly Berliners put me out of my perplexity?

I think the shelter may be for storage of say brooms, buckets etc, so the keeper does not have to constantly carry these things on to the island and off again.